UVSS
The Union of Velikon Socialist States (Lucian: Союз Великонских Социалистических Государств), colloquially known as the Velikon Union '''(Lucian: Великонский Союз) 'and the '''UVSS '(Lucian: СВСГ), is a sovereign state encompassing the entirety of the North Velikon Isles. The Union was founded on the 22nd November 1889 when the Pavlegrad Treaty (not to be confused with the Treaty of Pavlegrad) was signed by Chairman of the Provisional Autonomous Council of the Peoples of the North Velikon Isles, Boris Mikhailović and Chairman of the National Revolutionary Council, Vladimir Illyich. According to the census of 1899 the country's population is 47 052 742 and the GDP is 1 712 910 Solidi, placing it at 2nd and 3rd (4th) in population and GDP respectively. The country shares a maritime border with Novolucia across the Velikon Strait. History The Union's territories used to be part of the Velikon Empire, which ruled over the entirety of the Velikon Isles. The attempts at cultural and linguistic unification of the Velikon people was successful, and the local Zemian, Brestskan, Stuina, Dobren and Cztoiskan people mostly assimilated, accepting Lucian culture and language, while retaining some of their customs as well as their national identity. When socialism arrived on the Velikon Isles, the compassionate and largely peaceful nature of the North Velikon people led to the rapid spread of non-violent socialism, which dominates the Isles' ideological spectrum to this day. As a result, the so called Velikon Socialist People's Union was formed in 1861, uniting various socialists on the Isles. The four main strands that emerged were the anarchists, revolutionaries, moderates and federalists. The revolutionaries and moderates were focused on the South Velikon Isles (nowadays Novolucia) while the anarchists and federalists on the North Velikon Isles. During the Velikon Revolution of 1888, the Emperor was forced to abdicate and the northern sections of the VSPU used this to form the Provisional Autonomous Council of the Peoples of the North Velikon Isles on the 4th December 1888, which took upon itself the mantle of executive and legislative power. Being the only force which could effectively preserve order, stability and peace, even the opposing bourgeois class was forced to accept the PACPNVI. However, in the south, some of the VSPU attempted to use violence to overthrow the southern provisional National Revolutionary Council, which assumed power after the Emperor's abdication, however these attempts failed. For the next year, the NRC and PACPNVI remained officially part of one country known simply as Velikon, but in reality constituted separate states, building entirely different systems in their respective regions. The North Velikon Isles were recognised as de jure ''autonomous, under the PACPNVI's administration, but were ''de facto independent. This independence was formally declared on the 22nd November 1889, when the Pavlegrad Treaty (not to be confused with the Treaty of Pavlegrad) was signed by Boris Mikhailović, Chairman of the PACPNVI and Vladimir Illyich, Chairman of the NRC, forming the Velikon Republic of Novolucia and the Union of Velikon Socialist States. A provisional constitution was established, to facilitate for the calling of the Constituent Assembly, which was elected on the 28th December 1889 and met in Pavlegrad on the 2nd January 1890, confirming the socialist and federal nature of the Union and also ratified the so-called Velikon Confederation, a supranational union between Novolucia and the Union. The VSPU then split into 4 parties, the Socialist Democratic Labour Party, the Association of Trade Unions, the Radical Socialist Party and the Social-democratic Reformist Party. After the first legislative elections, the SDLP-ATU coalition emerged victorious. The new government condemned the terror attack in Prakov, capital of the UVSS and affirmed the Union's opposition to violence. It was on the government's recommendation that the Second International was founded in Pavlegrad on the 6th March 1891. The founding document, the "Declaration of Solidarity", was signed by many political parties across the Mundus, including the SDLP, ATU and ASDRP from the UVSS, the SDWP and NSP from Kuzukoshi, SPW and LWP from Waldreich, SDP from Nordmark, SDFM from Grangal and PS from Artelonia. The RadSocs were also very active in this period, holding multiple rallies and anti-government protests and demonstrations, as well as founding their own Revolutionary Socialist International on the 16th December 1891, promoting the exportation of the socialist revolution through violent means. The government also introduced a policy of rural electrification in April 1891, which stretched over a number years, having been declared officially over in 1896. These policies gave the Union's economy a significant boost, helping it grow to a point where it became the second largest economy in the world, second only to Nordmark. After the election of the Social Democratic Workers' Party of Kuzukoshi, the two states began closer cooperation, signing an agreement known as the Taratyo-Pavlegrad Concord, which established free trade, relaxed customs and border controls, as well as the exchange of expertise in various areas. Importantly, it also established a defence agreement between both states. The government took a controversial step in 1893, when homosexuality was formally legalised. Despite the belief that the Velikon-Sankturian Church would protest, however, Patriarch Vladimir of Pavlegrad surprisingly supported the move. The 1894 elections were once again a SDLP-ATU victory with very little change, and the Mikhailović Presidency continued. Soon after the election, the SDLP, ATU and SDRP merged to reform the VSPU to combat the perceived threat of RadSoc uprising and revolt. In late 1894, the People's Assembly voted in favour of the government's proposal to open trading settlements on the newly discovered continent of Atura. In the following year, the government took indirect control over the settlements and began to grow its sphere of influence in Atura. A diplomatic crisis between Novolucia and the UVSS occurred after the Prakov revolt, which was vehemently condemned by the Union's authorities. However, the National Action government that was elected in 1895 refused to cooperate with the Union's government, and unconditionally left the Velikon Confederation. In 1895, the Committee of People's Ministers took the decision to begin modernising the country's armed forces, the People's Militia which is still not fully complete, with the date expected to be in mid-1901. Nevertheless, the land forces have largely been modernised and proved their abilities in the South Atura Border War. The administrative body of the Aturan trade settlements, the Supreme Council of the Trading Settlements on Atura, took steps to help modernise the economy, social system and form of government of the native Aturans by founding the so-called Provisional Governing Council of the Free and Equal Peoples of Atura, which formed the Aturan Socialist Commonwealth in 1896. In 1897, the Pavlegrad Metropolitan Railway commenced construction, and new lines and stations are continuously being added to the network. In the 1898 elections, the VSPU received a supermajority in the People's Assembly, which renewed Mikhailović's Committee of People's Ministers. However, on the 2nd November 1898, Novolucian troops invaded the Aturan Socialist Commonwealth. Importantly, Kuzukoshi did not abide the Taratyo-Pavlegrad Concord, refusing to enter the war on the Union's side (even condoning the Novolucian invasion), however the treaty has not been terminated and both states enjoy the other benefits of the agreement. Soon after, Deltaria, Grangal and Artelonia joined the war. However, the defending troops dug in and built strong fortifications, and all offensives were stalled. One by one in 1899, the other belligerents sued for white peace, and with the Treaties of Pavlegrad, Neuhafen and Bellanova, Deltaria, Grangal and Artelonia left the war, respectively. Only Novolucia remains, which recently was shaken coup d'état, which overthrew President Leonidovich's National Action government. An armistice has been signed, and peace was officially restored 23rd January 1901, with the Second Pavlegrad Treaty. In 1900 the government proposed a new constitution that was passed through the People's Assembly and approved by popular referendum that simplified the legislative system to a unicameral Assembly of People's, Trade Union and Regional Deputies (or Assembly of Deputies for short). The 1902 elections saw another VSPU victory, and the government began to fulfil its promises, namely the subdivision of the People's Ministries, expansion of education and revitalisation of the economy. Government and Politics The Committee of People's Ministers The Committee of People's Ministers is the chief executive body of the Union. It consists of a President and 5 People's Ministers, elected by a list every 4 years by a new Assembly of Deputies. If a member of the Committee dies in office or resigns, the Assembly of Deputies shall elect a new member to replace the vacant seat. The current Committee look like the following: * '''President of the Committee of People's Ministers: '''Boris Mikhailović (VSPU) * '''People's Minister of Foreign Affairs: '''Vasil Karapetrov (VSPU) * '''People's Minister of Internal Affairs: '''Prokop Zmeškal (VSPU) * '''People's Minister of Financial Affairs: '''Lada Georgijević (VSPU) * '''People's Minister of Labour Affairs: '''Ramona Strelecka (VSPU) * '''People's Minister of Military Affairs: '''Lubomir Petrov (VSPU) It is the job of the Committee to direct policy (with approval of the Assembly of Deputies) and implement the decisions of the legislative chambers. It meets regularly on the second floor of the Assembly of Deputies building, which is where the office of the President and his staff are also located.